Inflatable construction panels and method of making same



June 1 8 R. L. MORA INFLATABLE CONSTRUCTION PANELS AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 9, 1965 FIG] ATTORNEYS June 18, 1968 R. MQRA 3,388,509

INFLATABLE CONSTRUCTION PANELS AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Filed March 9, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR RAUL L. NORA ATTORNEYS R. L. MORA June 18, 1968 INFLATABLE CONSTRUCTION PANELS AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 9, 1965 INVENTOR RAUL L. MORA A'T'TORNEYb United States Patent 3,388,509 KNFLATABLE CONSTRUCTHQN PANELS AND ME'HEUD OF MAKING SAME Raul L. Mora, 3230 SW. 23rd Court, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. 33312 Filed Mar. 9, 1965, Ser. No. 438,337 16 Claims. (Cl. 52-2) This invention broadly relates to constructional elements and more specifically to a unique constructional panel and method for making same.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an economical constructional panel that may be quickly and easily fabricated. Included herein is the provision of a method of making constructional panels which eliminates the costly mold apparatus heretofore utilized in construction.

A further object of the present invention is to provide such a panel that may be fabricated in various shapes and sizes and to possess high strength and durability. Included herein is such a panel that may be advantageously employed in building construction or article manufacture.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide such a panel that significantly reduces handling and transportation costs incident to building construction.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a wall embodying the present invention taken at an intermediate stage of fabrication and with certain portions broken away for clarity;

FIG. 2 is a fragmental view of the left hand portion of the wall of FIG. 1 but taken during an advanced stage of fabrication;

FIG. 3 is a fragmental view of the right hand section of the wall of FIG. 1 taken upon completion of fabrication;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmental cross-sectional view taken generally along lines 4- of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a fragmental cross-sectional view taken generally along lines 5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a fragmental cross-sectional view of a panel representing another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 but taken during a preliminary stage of fabrication;

FIG. 8 is a fragmental perspective view of a panel representing a third embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the panel of FIG. 8.

Referring to the drawings in detail, FIG. 1 shows a partially completed panel or wall 10 embodying the present invention including a first section 12 and parallel side sections 14 and 16 extending at right angles to section 12. In the embodiment of FIG. 1 the wall is comprised of flexible outer facing skins 1S and 20 formed from any suitable material for example plastic, textile, rubber, fiber glass or combinations thereof.

Located between facing skins 18 and 2d are a series of inflatable tubular members 22 formed from similar material and illustrated as assuming an elliptical crosssection upon inflation. Inflatable members 22 extend longitudinally throughout the full height of the panel and are provided throughout the full length of the panel sections to be positioned in side-by-side, parallel inter-relationship upon inflation. At the corners of the panel are inflatable members 24 which in the shown embodiment assume a cylindrical shape upon inflation.

In order to secure inflatable members in position and to permit them to impart shape to the facing skins 1S and 2b upon inflation, the inflatable members are fixed to asaassa ice the facing sk-ins. In the embodiment of FIG. 1 inflatable members 22 are fixed to facing skins 18 and 20 by elongated strips 26 of flexible material the opposite sides of which are suitably attached to a facing skin and one end of an inflatable member 22. Inflatable members 24 at the wall corners are suitably attached along longitudinal peripheral portions directly to the facing skins such as by bonding.

Closing the opposite ends of each inflatable member to render them air-tight are end pieces 28 (only two of which are shown in FIG. 1) either integrally formed or suitably attached to the inflatable members. Any suitable means (not shown) may be employed for introducing air or gas into the inflatable members.

For purposes to be subsequently described, inflatable members 22 are formed with a series of indentations or recesses 30 longitudinally spaced along side portions thereof to form with corresponding recesses 30 on adjacent inflatable members, transverse passages 32 communicating the areas 34 at the opposite ends of the inflatable members. Similarly, apertures may be provided in strips 26 for communicating areas 34 on opposite sides of each strip 26.

In shipment and handling prior to fabrication the enclosure skins which comprise facing skins 18 and 20 and inflatable members 22 and 24, may be folded or collapsed into a compact unit.

Fabrication of the panel 10 from the enclosure skin is effected by inflating members 22 with air or other gas to place the panel in the condition shown in FIG. 1 wherein facing skins 18 and 20 are in tension and adjacent inflatable members 22 are in compressive contact with each other.

A suitable rigidizing substance 36 for example plastic foam, cement or concrete is poured, forced or injected in a liquid or viscous state into the areas or voids 34 between inflatable members 22 to fill voids 34 as well as transverse passages 32 extending between voids 34 and apertures which may be provided in strips 26.

After the rigidizing substance hardens in voids 34, the gas in corner inflatable members 24 is vented and additional rigidizing substance is poured, forced or injected therein as shown in FIG. 3. The rigidizing substance in corner members 24 is then permitted to harden to complete the fabrication.

It will thus be seen that the facing skins become permanently rigidized in the desired shape by the rigidizing substance which continuously engages and adheres to facing skins to form an integrated unit of uniform strength and stability. Additionally, the internal passages of inflatable members 22 may be vented and employed as housing ducts for electrical installations, water pipes, etc.

Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, there is illustrated another panel embodying the present invention wherein the facing skins 40 and 42 are each formed from a plurality of rectangular sections 44, hinged together at 46 in sideby-side relationship to be movable between a collapsed position shown in FIG. 7 and an extended position shown in FIG. 6. Facing skin sections 44 may be formed of rigid material for example wood or metal inasmuch as the hinged connections at 46 permit the desired movement of the skins upon inflation of internal members 48. In the embodiment of FIG. 6, the inflatable members 43 are directly attached at 49 by any suitable means for example bonding to the facing skin sections 44 thereby eliminating strips 26 of the FIG. 1 embodiment. Inflatable member 48 are also formed to provide transverse passages {not shown) similar to passages 32 of the above-described embodiment.

The embodiment of FIG. 6 also illustrates a double chambered inflatable member 50 shown as forming the end of the panel. Inflatable member 50 includes an inner skin 52 and an outer skin 54 separated by radial partition strips 56 interconnecting skins 52 and 54. Skins 52 and 54 are constructed such that upon inflation they form concentric cylinders maintained in proper spaced relationship by strips 56.

Fabrication of the panel in FIG. 6 is essentially the same as that described above except that after the rigidizing substance in areas 53 hardens only the areas 58 between skins 52 and 54 are filled with the rigidizing substance, and the cavity 59 is vented and left vacant such as may be desired in lightweight construction.

Another embodiment of the invention is illustrated by panel 60 shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. Panel 60 includes facing skins 62 and 64 which may be formed of single or multiple layers of suitable flexible material. Interconnecting facing skins 62 and 64 are transverse separator members 66 which may be formed for example by flexible or rigid rods having their opposite ends embedded in skins 62 and 64 by means of discs 68 and 69.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 8 and 9, the internal inflatable portion of the panel is formed by flexible, airtight skins or sheets 82. and 84 of suitable material attached to each other in generally quilt-like fashion. In the preferred form, inflatable sheets 82 and 84 are provided with overlying apertures 80 which receive separator members 66. Additionally, inflatable sheets 82 and 84 are suitably attached to each other along the periphery of each. aperture 80 and also along the marginal portions (not shown) thereof so as to form an air-tight enclosure upon inflation. Inflatable sheets 82 and 84 are also connected to facing skins 62 and 64 by strips 86 as shown in FIG. 9.

The presently described panel 60 further illustrates the use of tubular members 100 (only one shown in FIG. 9) at the ends of the panel. In the preferred method of fabrication, tubular members 100, are first inflated and ultimately filled with a rigidizing agent after the voids between facing skins 62, 64 and sheets 82, 84 are filled with a rigidizing agent shown as 92 and 94. As in the above-described embodiments, air or gas is introduced by any suitable means into the areas enclosed by sheets 82 and 84 to inflate the same after end tubular members 100 are inflated.

As will be apparent to persons skilled in the art, various modifications and adaptations of the structure above described will become readily apparent without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention covered by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A method of making a panel from a flexible en closure skin having outer facing skins and inflatable tubular members located in side-by-side relationship between and connected to said facing skins; the steps comprising inflating said tubular members until said facing skins are tensioned in a predetermined shape and adjacent tubular members are in compressive contact with each other, introducing a settable substance into voids located between the inflated tubular members with the substance engaging the internal surface of the facing skins and allowing said substance to harden to form a permanently rigid panel of said predetermined shape.

2. A method of making a panel from an enclosure skin having outer facing skins and a plurality of inflatable tubular members fixed in side-by-side relationship between said facing skins; the steps comprising inflating said tubular members until said facing skins assume a predetermined shape, introducing rigidizing substance into voids between the facing skins and between said inflatable members, allowing the substance to harden into a rigid body, deflating the tubular members at the opposite ends of the panel, introducing a rigidizing substance into the deflated tubular members and allowing the substance in the end tubular members to harden.

3. An enclosure skin for making a constructional panel or the like comprising a pair of transversely spaced flexible facing skins, a plurality of inflatable tubular members located between said facing skins and fixed thereto to impart a predetermined shape to said facing skins upon inflation, said tubular members being arranged in generally parallel and side by side relationship substantially throughout the extent of said facing skins, means connecting the opposite sides of each of said tubular members to said facing skins respectively, said tubular members being constructed and arranged such that upon inflation suflicient to tension said facing skins, longitudinal side portions of adjacent tubular members will be compressive contact with each other wherein opposite sides of each tubular member are provided with a number of recesses forming transverse passages with corresponding recesses formed in adjacent tubular members upon inflation of the tubular members.

4. The enclosure skin defined in claim 3 wherein said means includes elongated strips each fixed at one side to a facing skin and at the other side to one of the sides of a tubular member.

5. A method of making a permanently rigid panel from a flexible enclosure skin having outer facing skins transversely spaced in opposite positions and an internal inflatable body provided by overlying flexible members located between said facing skins and substantially co-extensive therewith; the steps comprising inflating the internal body until the facing skins are tensioned in a pre determined configuration, portions of the internal body spaced from the facing sheets forming voids, introducing a settable substance into voids located between the inflared internal body and the facing skins with the substance engaging the internal surface of said facing skins and the external surfaces of said flexible members substantially throughout and allowing said substance to harden to form a permanently rigid panel of said predetermined shape.

6. The enclosure skin defined in claim 5 further including transverse separator members interconnecting said facing skins at various intervals.

7. The enclosure skin defined in claim 6 wherein said separator members are flexible rods.

8. The enclosure skin defined in claim 6 wherein said flexible members are provided with overlying apertures at various intervals and are interconnected at the periphery of said apertures, and said separator members extend through said apertures.

9. The enclosure skin defined in claim 8 wherein said flexible members are interconnected at intervals to assume a generally quilt-like shape upon inflation.

10. A method of making a rigid panel or the like from an enclosure comprised of outer facing skins formed of flexible material and a number of flexible inflatable members located between the facing skins connected to said facing skins; the steps comprising inflating said inflatable members until the facing skins assume a predetermined shape defining the exterior of the panel, introducing a flowable substance which will set into a rigid body into voids located between the inflated members and the facing skins and in continuous engagement with the inner surfaces of the facing skins and the outer surfaces of said tubular members to entirely fill said voids, and allowing said substance to harden to form a permanently rigid panel of said predetermined shape and with said facing skins forming a permanent part thereof.

11. The method defined in claim 10' wherein said inflatable members are inflated sufficiently to place the facing skins under tension.

12. The method defined in claim 11 wherein said inflatable members are formed by a plurality of elongated tubes arranged in side by side relationship and wherein said tubes are inflated to place adjacent tubes in compressive contact with each other.

13. An enclosure skin for making a panel comprising a pair of transversely spaced outer facing skins each including a plurality of sections formed from rigid material and hinged together in side by side relationship for movement between a folded position and an extended poo,- sition, a plurality of inflated tubular members arranged in side by side relationship between said facing skins, said tubular members being attached along opposite ends thereof to said facing skins between points at which said sections are hinged together.

14. An enclosure skin for making a panel comprising a pair of transversely spaced outer facing skins each including a plurality of sections hinged together in side by side relationship for movement between a folded position and an extended position a plurality of inflated tubular members arranged in side by side parallel relationship between said facing skins, said tubular members being attached along opposite ends thereof to said facing skins between points at which said sections are hinged together, and tubular members at opposite ends of the panel each comprising inner and outer skins and radial spacing strip-s interconnecting said inner and outer skins for spacing same upon inflation of said end tubular members.

15. An enclosure skin for making a constructional panel comprising a pair of outer facing skins positioned in opposite transversely spaced relationship, inflatable means between said facing skins including a pair of flexible air tight sheet members extending in overlying relationship substantially throughout the extent of said outer facing skins, means fixing said sheet members at predetermined intervals to said outer facing skin, said last recited means including flexible strips having opposite end portions attached to said sheet members and facing skins, said sheet members being attached to each other at a number of spaced points to assume a predetermined shape upon inflation.

16. A rigid constructional panel comprising in combination, an outer enclosure skin of opposite spaced portions formed of flexible material, a plurality of inflated tubular members located between the opposite portions of the facing skin and connected thereto, said tubular members having recesses formed at a number of spaced locations in their sides forming passages extending between the opposite portions of said skin, and a concretelike substance located throughout the voids between the tubular members and the facing skin in continuous engagement with the facing skin and tubular members to permanently impart rigidity and strength to the panel, portions of said concrete-like substance extending through said passages such that the concrete-like substance on opposite sides of said tubular members are integrally connected.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,000,873 5/1935 Arens 5348 2,579,423 12/ 1951 Ford. 2,627,077 2/ 1953 Forsyth 52348 2,655,369 10/1953 Musilli 52348 X 2,657,716 11/1953 Ford 5 --348 X 2,854,014 9/ 1958 Hasselquist 522 3,229,437 1/1966 Adie 52-576 FOREIGN PATENTS 955,651 6/ 1949 France.

1,213,566 11/1959 France.

JOHN E. MURTAGH, Primary Examiner. 

3. AN ENCLOSURE SKIN FOR MAKING A CONSTRUCTIONAL PANEL OR THE LIKE COMPRISING A PAIR OF TRANSVERSELY SPACED FLEXIBLE FACING SKINS, A PLURALITY OF INFLATABLE TUBULAR MEMBERS LOCATED BETWEEN SAID FACING SKINS AND FIXED THERETO TO IMPART A PREDETERMINED SHAPE TO SAID FACING SKINS UPON INFLATION, SAID TUBULAR MEMBERS BEING ARRANGED IN GENERALLY PARALLEL AND SIDE BY SIDE RELATIONSHIP SUBSTANTIALLY THROUGHOUT THE EXTENT OF SAID FACING SKINS, MEANS CONNECTING THE OPPOSITE SIDES OF EACH OF SAID TUBULAR MEMBERS TO SAID FACING SKINS RESPECTIVELY, SAID TUBULAR MEMBERS BEING CONSTRUCTED AND ARRANGED SUCH THAT UPON INFLATION SUFFICIENT TO TENSION SAID FACING SKINS, LONGITUDINAL SIDE PORTIONS OF ADJACENT TUBULAR MEMBERS WILL BE COMPRESSIVE CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER WHEREIN OPPOSITE SIDES OF EACH TUBULAR MEMBER ARE PROVIDED WITH A NUMBER OF RECESSES FORMING TRANSVERSE PASSAGES WITH CORRESPONDING RECESSES FORMED IN ADJACENT TUBULAR MEMBERS UPON INFLATION OF THE TUBULAR MEMBERS. 